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Sill plate concrete anchors

Zeekster | Posted in Construction Techniques on February 5, 2007 09:33am

I’m building a single story garage on a monolithic slab that will be made of 4000 psi concrete (lots of ledge on site). The slab will be 12″ thick at the perimeter with rebar and wire mesh. The walls of the garage are planned to be 2X4 but could be bumped up to 2X6.

Has anyone used the expansion type concrete anchors (TruBolt) to attach sill plates? I would like to drill and attach after the walls are tilted up so I don’t have to deal with anchor  bolts in the way(working alone). I am concerned that they would be only about 2″ from the edge of the slab.

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  1. RippySkippy | Feb 05, 2007 09:53pm | #1

    I can't quote the source, but someplace I've read that the anchor should be place 5X it's diameter from the edge of unsupported concrete, e.g. 1/2" inch anchor should be 2 1/2" from the edge.

    Rip

  2. Brian | Feb 05, 2007 10:03pm | #2

    Simpson has a new product that screws into concrete holes drilled after plates are down.  They are expensive.

    The last house we had like that we used expansion anchors and were careful how we tightened them.

    It was really nice not having to screw with lining up holes.

     

    Treat every person you meet like you will know them the rest of your life - you just might!
    1. semar | Feb 06, 2007 02:58am | #8

      85227.3 in reply to 85227.1 

      Simpson has a new product that screws into concrete holes drilled after plates are down.  They are expensive.

      The last house we had like that we used expansion anchors and were careful how we tightened them.

      It was really nice not having to screw with lining up holes.

       

      I always use the deep 1/2" anchors. When it comes to fasten the plate down I lay the plate on top of the anchors and tap it with a hammer. This gives me the location for the anchors. Drill the plate, soak the hole with preservative, install the sill gasket,  install the plate and bolt it with big washers

      1. timothale | Feb 06, 2007 07:04am | #9

        Here in earthquake country our bolts have to be held in place before you pour, and not stabbed into wet mud. I ve done a lot of layout for schools and commercial buildings  I always did all my layout for the wall studs,  plumbing, electrical, conduit, fire, and alarms, etc,, before we poured any concrete. kept a notebook with every thing written down to order material and mark the plates for the carpenters, elect plumbers to follow  cast in place is a lot stronger.

      2. Brian | Feb 06, 2007 06:02pm | #11

        I always use the deep 1/2" anchors. When it comes to fasten the plate down I lay the plate on top of the anchors and tap it with a hammer. This gives me the location for the anchors. Drill the plate, soak the hole with preservative, install the sill gasket,  install the plate and bolt it with big washers

        Us too, (usually) except the preservative step - what do you use?

         Treat every person you meet like you will know them the rest of your life - you just might!

        1. jrnbj | Feb 06, 2007 06:53pm | #12

          ? soak the hole with Preservative ? if it's a plate on concrete, I was taught to use treated....

          1. semar | Feb 06, 2007 08:41pm | #14

            yes, but if you drill into the plate the hole is not treated.

        2. semar | Feb 06, 2007 08:39pm | #13

          Approved Wolmanized  Pressure Treated Wood Preservative. Although the plate is PT, the holes are not, therefore the application for "in any case"

  3. dovetail97128 | Feb 05, 2007 10:34pm | #3

    Any expansion type concrete anchor puts a lot of stress on the concrete, Potential for breaking the concrete is always there. I use epoxy anchors instead.

    1. Zeekster | Feb 05, 2007 10:48pm | #4

      Gee

      That's exactly what the concrete anchor manufacturer recommended. I guess I should listen. Do you know if there are any code issues with using epoxy? I looked in the IBC code book and all I could find was that the bolts needed to be 1/2" dia., imbedded 7" deep no specs on required tensile or shear strength that I could compare with an epoxy anchor

       

      1. dovetail97128 | Feb 06, 2007 12:29am | #6

        Zeek,Simpson (among others) manufacture both threaded rod and epoxies for this use.
        I use grade 5-8 all thread or SS. Both should be available from a good lumber yard. Grade 2 all thread that is most commom does not meet the tensile strength required.
        I personally use "Fastenal" for my supplier.(check online and see if you can find an outlet near you ) I use an acrylic epoxy (Epcon A7, by Ramset/Redhead) because it can be used with wet conditions and in temps down to 32 deg F. to no ill effect unlike other epoxies that require a dry hole and dry concreteand temps above 50 deg.. It has passed every engineer and building official I have asked to approve it. Certification of it's tests and approvals are available from the manufacturer.
        The epoxy does require a special gun for some sizes of dispensers, but they have smaller units that use a standard caulk gun .

  4. Kgmz | Feb 05, 2007 10:53pm | #5

    Use the Simpson RFB (retrofit bolt), you just drill a hole put in epoxy and put the bolt in.

    But which ever way you do it, you better have a good SDS or hammer drill and at least a couple of bits.

    Also the RFB will meet the code requirements for your short walls by the garage door if your walls are narrower than 4 ft. Don't have to worry about the code if the walls are over 4 ft.

    1. dovetail97128 | Feb 06, 2007 12:32am | #7

      Just to point out that the RFB will not pass the inspectors in all areas of the country for the "Portal Frame ".
      Here the bolts must be embedded into the footing, and have re-bar placed according to the specs..

    2. timothale | Feb 06, 2007 07:07am | #10

      epoxy    We have had to have our epoxy bolts pull tested at $50 min cost and retest everything if one fails.

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